"Mars Flame Sniper" is a powerful fire-based attack used by Sailor Mars in the manga, anime, crystal, musicals, and video games. It is her strongest individual attack.
Manga and Crystal[]
Sailor Mars conjures a bow of flame to fire the flaming Mars Arrow at her enemies. She gained this ability after obtaining the Mars Arrow and transforming into her Super form using the Mars Crystal and continued to use this attack after she attained her Eternal form.
It's first use is after Phobos and Deimos save her and Super Sailor Mars uses it after remembering Michiru's words of encouragement to destroy Tiger's Eye. It's last use is on the grounds of Galactica Palace where Eternal Sailor Mars, along with Eternal Sailor Mercury, knock out the Sailor Quartet.
Anime[]
This attack first appeared in the episode Burning Passion! Mars' Furious Deadly Attack of the 90s anime, where Sailor Mars used it against ManeMane Musume. To perform the attack, she summoned a fiery bow and arrow, then shot a fiery arrow toward her target. It also burns things until turned into ashes like Bananu's flute.
Musicals[]
In the musicals, this attack was performed by Sailor Mars without any item at all, similar to the anime, except when it first appeared in Sailor Moon SuperS - Yume Senshi - Ai - Eien ni..., where it was performed with the Mars Arrow.
Video Games[]
Mars Flame Sniper appeared in several video games, including
- Sailor Moon SuperS: Fuwa Fuwa Panic
- Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Fuwa Fuwa Panic 2
- Sailor Moon SuperS: Zenin Sanka!! Shuyaku Soudatsusen
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In episode 171, when Mars used this attack, the fired arrow had a cross-shaped point, while the animated sequence featured it flat-shaped.
- The bow and arrow motif of this attack is an allusion to several cultural traditions:
- Mars was the Roman god of war and his son with the love goddess Venus, Cupid, carried a bow and arrow as his signature weapon.
- Due to its red color, the planet Mars was occasionally associated with the element of fire, and the Japanese way of writing the planet's name even contains the character for fire (火).
- Elemental alignment plays a role in the abilities and weapons of the other senshi as well, specifically the Wuxing or five-element theory of Chinese tradition; Mercury- Water, Jupiter- Wood, and Venus- Metal.
- Shinto priestesses, or mikos (which Rei is), were well-known for their archery skills and occasionally performed rituals that exorcised demons through the use of arrows.
- In the Cloverway dub of the anime, it was called Mars Flame Shooter.